Riding in Spain and Portugal

Any different laws I need to be aware of for riding a motorbike in Spain or Portugal?

[TSM]

carry your insurance/V5/passport/licence on you at all times when riding the bike, there are some requirements for carrying spare bulbs etc but not 100% sure on the bike, i did not bother once i was down in south of portugal for carrying anything other than my licence but then i can call on local help , but when driving i always carry my licence/passport and to make it better i use my portuguese one to not get so much stick if somthing happened

Hi there.

You are supposed to carry a set of spare bulbs (must get round to that...) here in Spain. Also be aware that just this year they dropped the Autovia (motorway) speed from 120kmh to 110kmh. You need all your paperwork as mentioned above. I live in Spain and always carry my documents as the police will immediately ask for it all when they pull you over. Here it's permisso de circulacion (V5) proof of insurance, ITV (MOT) and your license. It just makes life easier if you can hand them what they need - especially if there's a language barrier.

On a cultural note, keep your whits about you around 4pm (i.e. after lunch) esp. on weekends and there can be some pretty f---ing atrocious driving going on. The clampdown on drink driving is still comparatively new and there a still several culprits.

Originally Posted by chilli

Hi there.

You are supposed to carry a set of spare bulbs (must get round to that...) here in Spain. Also be aware that just this year they dropped the Autovia (motorway) speed from 120kmh to 110kmh. You need all your paperwork as mentioned above. I live in Spain and always carry my documents as the police will immediately ask for it all when they pull you over. Here it's permisso de circulacion (V5) proof of insurance, ITV (MOT) and your license. It just makes life easier if you can hand them what they need - especially if there's a language barrier.

On a cultural note, keep your whits about you around 4pm (i.e. after lunch) esp. on weekends and there can be some pretty f---ing atrocious driving going on. The clampdown on drink driving is still comparatively new and there a still several culprits.

Great thanks mate! What are they like on loud exhausts?

[dyzio]

When are you going?

August

[dyzio]

I'm back beginning of June, I'll try to post a thing or two.

Originally Posted by dyzio

I'm back beginning of June, I'll try to post a thing or two.

Ta!

[STRAMASHER]

I'm back from 5 days driving in Lisbon. It would have been less stressful on a bike.

The drivers do not use indicators or lanes, especially bad on roundabouts.

Scoots and bikes filter on your inside.

They like bump parking. So careful where you park up.

GNR means cops not Guns N' Roses/Great Northern Railway. Desculpe is sorry, Obrigado is thank you.

PS Caneca (Kan-eka) is a big scoop of SuperBock/Sagres. *Slurp*

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Great thanks mate! What are they like on loud exhausts?

There's plenty of "baffle-free" bikes here, the same rules pretty much apply as in the UK i reckon. i.e. legally you should comply with noise regs - on the road it depends on who you come up against I guess....

Originally Posted by STRAMASHER

The drivers do not use indicators or lanes, especially bad on roundabouts.

Scoots and bikes filter on your inside.

They like bump parking. So careful where you park up.

All this applies to Spain too!

I keep my inside mirror angled differently to my left one to give a better (shorter) view of the inside lane, handy for motorways as people will come up on your inside.

Here on the island it's not unusual for people to use the outside lane to go all the way round a roundabout - also use the inside to overtake and go straight on. Use of indicators is random at best.

On a side note when I was on a trip last August through southern spain the roads were really quiet (may have been coz it was bloody boiling!) which made for great, relaxed riding.

The basic rule is just expect people to do crazy/stupid **** then you won't be surprised when it happens. Normal rules for a bike really.